If you are suffering from severe chronic knee pain or arthritis of the knees it might be time to start thinking about knee replacement surgery. As one of Richmond’s leading orthopedic physicians, Dr. Nordt performs over 200 partial and total knee replacement surgeries every year, including both traditional knee replacement and minimally invasive surgery knee replacement. Minimally invasive knee replacement is a relatively new surgical procedure that has been made possible by recent advancements in medical science and offers some unique benefits for patients who opt for it over traditional knee replacement.

Dr. Nordt is committed to restoring patients to an active lifestyle as soon as possible, and generally tries to implement more conservative, non-surgical options when available, but often in the case of severe knee issues, replacement surgery is the best course of action. As one of Richmond’s top orthopedic surgeons for over 25 years, Dr. Nordt is highly qualified to perform both traditional knee replacement, as well as minimally invasive surgery knee replacement.

About Minimally Invasive Knee Replacement

Dr. Nordt recommends minimally invasive procedures for all patients who qualify for them, as they make for shorter recovery times, and less post-operative pain in most cases. As a rule, the amount of tissue trauma related to a surgical procedure tends to correlate with the quickness of recovery, so Dr. Nordt prefers to do a minimally invasive procedure whenever possible. Not all patients are good candidates for minimally invasive surgery, but those who are stand to benefit in many ways. Feel free to ask Dr. Nordt if minimally invasive knee replacement is the best course of action for your situation.

Some of the benefits of minimally invasive knee replacements include:

A Shorter incision (4-6 inches versus 8-10 inches)

Less blood loss during the procedure

Less overall tissue disturbance

Less postoperative pain

Better motion after surgery

Shorter recovery time (in many cases)

Post-Operative recovery

While minimally invasive knee replacement often makes for shorter recovery times and less overall pain, the hospital stay can be similar to that of traditional knee replacement, generally 1-4 days, though some patients may be able to go home within 24 hours with personalized care. Dr. Nordt can explain in further detail what you can expect after your operation, as recovery depends on a variety of different factors for each patient. In general you can expect to be prescribed several days of rest (like most surgery), and a physical therapy regimen with Dr. Nordt.

For more information about minimally invasive knee replacement, see OrthoInfo.